Hinge



Feb. 21, 1961 K M JOHNSON 2,972,166

INVENTOR. KENNETH M. JOHNON Feb. 2l, 1961 K. M. JOHNSON 2,972,166

HINGE Filed Aug. 2'?, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

FIG. 4

IN V EN TOR. KENNETH M ./OHNO/V v BY Y TTURNE-YS HINGE Kenneth M. Johnson, Kensington, Conn., assignor to The Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Aug. 27, 1958, Ser. No. 757,480

8 Claims. (Cl. 16-189) The present invention relates to hinges and is Yconcerned, more specically, with a hinge particularly adapted for use with cabinet doors.

An object of the invention is to provide a compact hinge for mounting in a concealed position in a cabinet door without overhang or protruding parts and which permits the door to be opened without extension beyond the side wall of the cabinet so that the cabinet may be mounted ush against a side wall or other cabinetvwithout interference.

A further object is to provide such a hinge which permits the door to be quickly and easily attached and detached so that the door can be readily removed and replaced, for example, by a dealer wishing to substitute a cabinet door of different color.

'Another object of the invention is to provide such a hinge which is operable to hold the door in both a closed position parallel to the cabinet opening and in an open position at right angles to the cabinet and which exerts a strong holding force in either position.

vAnother object is to provide a hinge of the type rev ferred to which is of simple and economical construction so that it may be fabricated at low cost and yet which is of rugged and durable design so that it will functio over long periods of time without undue wear.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings: l

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view` of `a cabinet and a cabinet door in closed position with an embodiment of the hinge of the present invention mounted thereon, the hinge also being shown in cross-section;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. l with the door moved to open position;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the hinge in door-closing position; and

Fig. 4 is an end view of the hinge in door-closing position.

Refering to the drawings, the hinge embodying the present invention is mounted in a frame comprising a rear wall 10, an end wall 11 and side walls 12, the latter being provided with wings or tlanges 13 containing apertures 14 by means of which the frame may be secured to a door. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by way of illustration, the frame is mounted within a sheet metal door of approximately 3%; inch thickness and is located adjacent one edge thereof. In a wooden door, the frame would be mounted in a suitably dmeusioned rabbet cut in the door with the frame flush with the inner face of the door. For simplicity, only one hinge is shown mounted in the door, it being understood that at least two hinges are required to complete the mounting of the door.

l 2,972,166 Patented Feb. 21,1961

Pivotally mounted in the frame for swinging movement is an L-shaped hinge leaf 20, the leaf 20 having ears 23 at one end which are journaled in apertures v15 in the side walls 12 at the corners thereof. Thus, the leaf 20 can be pivoted from a position as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 Where the leg 21 of the leaf 20 rests against the rear wall 10 of the frame (this being the door closed position) to a door open position as shown in Fig. 2'

with the leg 21 resting against the end W'all 11.

The leg 22 of the leaf 20 is adapted to be quickly and easily attached to or detached from the cabinet. with which the door is used. In the embodiment shown'.

in the drawings, this is illustrated in connection with. a sheet metal cabinet 24 having a front opening defined by the inturned flange 25 and provided with a slot 26 for reception of the leg 22. As illustrated in the drawings, the leg 22 has transverse serrations 27 therein forV adjustable engagement by similar serrations 28 in a'clampv 29 which is secured to the ange 25 by a screw 30 re-y open or closed position comprises a tongue 33 pivotally, mounted on a pin 34 extending transversely across the frame opposite from the end wall 11 and secured in the side Walls 12. The tongue 33 which is preferably formed of a low-friction, long-Wearing material such as nylon is elongated in shape and extends to a point just slightly inwardly of the end Wall 11. It has an arcuate end surface 35 which bears against an arcuate bearing sur-` face formed on the leg 21 by providing an aperture 36 in the leaf 213 with a turned over edge portion or lip 37 close to the pivots 23. The aperture 36 accommodates the end of the tongue 33 so as to permit pivoting of the leaf 20.

A relatively heavy or stiff spring Y40 biases the tongue 33 toward the bearing 37 of the leaf 20. As illustrated in the drawings, the spring 40 comprises two coils 41 encircling the pin 34 on opposite sides of the tongue with their free ends engaging the rear wall 10 and a central' bail portion extending parallel to the tongue 33 with` its end portion engaging the front of the tongue 33. 3

y As best lshown in Fig. l, when the hinge is in door closed position, the arcuate end surface 35 of tongue 33 bears against the front side of the lip 37, thus strongly biasing the leaf 20 to the closed position. When the door is opened and the hinge is moved to door open position as shown in Fig. 3, the arcuate end surface 35 of tongue 33 bears against the rear side of the lip 37, thus strongly biasing the leaf 20 to the open position. Because of the relatively short radius of the lip 37 from the pivot at 23, only a very slight pivoting of tongue 33 and exing of spring 40 occurs when the hinge is moved from open to closed position and vice versa.

As will be apparent from the above detailed description, the hinge can be mounted in a door in a concealed position; and the door with hinge attached can be easily connected to or disconnected from a cabinet. The hinge has no parts which protrude beyond the side wall of the cabinet and permits the door to be opened without having the door extend beyond the side wall of the cabinet. A strong and effective holding force is provided to retain the door in open or closed position; and the mechanism, though simple and economical to manufacture, is rugged and durable in construction and will operate effectively over long periods of time without undue wear.

It will be understood that variations and modifications of tli'e" structure withinthe'skill'of the art are intended to be'" included' within' the' scope' of' the' invention;

I claim:

1. A hinge comprising a frame adapted to be mounted in a"door,' an' L-shaped leaf having one' legY for attachment ona' supporting structure' and' having its other leg'pivotally mountedon the frame, said leaf having'an aperture bounded by a' transverse edge, an elongatedtongue having oneend' extending into said aperture and having its other end'pivota'lly mounted on the frame, said one end being formed with an arcuate surface slidably engaging said transverse edge, and' a spring biasing the tongue toward said edge.

2. The hinge deiined in claim 1 wherein the tongue is formed of nylon-like synthetic resin material having a low coefficient of friction.

SLA hinge comprising a frame having an end wall and' a. rear wall, an L-shaped leaf pivoted at one end on the frame adjacent the end wall for movement' between a position abutting the end wall and a position abutting the rear wall of thefrarne, said leaf having an aperture bounded by a transverse edge spaced from the leaf pivot, a tongue pivotally mounted on the frame `and extending into said aperture and a spring biasing the' tongue into sliding.' engagement with said edge.V

4. A hinge comprising a frame adapted to be mounted in a door' and having an end wall and a rear wall, an

L-shaped'leaf having one leg for attachment to a support-y ing structure and having its other'legvpivotally mounted on the frame adjacent said end'wall'for pivotal rnove-V ment between a" position abutting the end`wall` and a position abutting the rear wall, said other leg having'a'n aperture formed with a` transverse edge adjacent' the' pivot, an elongated nylon tongue pivotally mounted on the rear wall of the frame and having an arcuate end portion extending into saidaperture for'sliding engagement with said transverse edge, and a spring biasing the tongue toward's'aid transverse edge, the free end of L-shapedleaf pivoted at one-endtadjacent the corner of the endv wall and-rear wall for pivoting movementbef tween a' position abutting the endwall and a position abuttingthe rear wall of the frame, said leaf having anvaperture bounded by a transverse edge portion of the leaf,

an'elongated tongue pivotally mounted on the frame with its pivot spaced from theV endwall, said tongue having an arcuate endporton extending into said aperture for sliding'en'gagement with saidftra'nsverse edge portion, and a springbiasing the 'tongue'toward said edge portion, theY `a positionabuttingthe end wall to a position1 abuttingy the rear wall-ofthe frame and 'having anaperture bounded by a transverse edge portion, said edge portiony being bent over to form a rounded bearing surface, an elongated nylon tongue'pivotally mountedat one" end in the frame on a pivotfspacedfrom'the end wall and extending through said aperture, said tongue having an arcuate end surface engaging the said transverse bearing surface, and a spring biasing the tongue toward said transverse bearing surface.

7.A hinge'comprising' a frame adapted' to be-mountedv in a door adjacent one edge thereof, an elongatedltongue' pivotally mounted-'at one end' on the frame, an L-shaped leaf-havinglan inner legpivotally mounted at'its'endrori'y the'- franieand' having' a transverse bearing surface en.-

gageable by the tongue, a spring biasing the tongue into' engagernent` with said transvers'e'bearing surface; saidv L- shaped'leafhaving an outer leg for attachment to'a' cabig net having transverse serrations in one surface 'thereof 'and @inlopen-ended slot' extendinglongitudinally thereof', and

meansfor attaching the outer4 leg to'acabin'et comprisinga'.clamp'having serrations complementary tothe-'serratio'nsoftheouter' leg and a'scr'ew for fasteningithe clamp to a cabinet receivable in Vsaid'slot'.

8'. Alhingef'comprising a'frame adapted to `be'mount'ed in a'door; an L-shaped'leaf having one'legrfo'r attachment .on a'- supporting' structure and having its other leg-pivotally mountedon'the frame, saidpivotallyf mounted leg 'having a cut-out'spaced inwardly fromthetouter end'to' provide a transverse bearing shoulder facingtowards the juncture ofthe legs; an'elongatedtongue having one end extending into' said'cut-out and having its other end piv`- otallyy mounte'don'the frame, saidone end being foi-med with an arcuate-bearing' surface slidably engagingsaid' transverse? shoulder;y and a spring biasing? said; tongue towards said shoulder.

References Cited-in the le'of thispatenf UNITED STATES PATENTS 'Y 584,689'r Knabe et a1.' mais, 1897V 2,235,984 DevereauX Mar. 25,1941 Austin June 17, 1941 

